A Summer Sip

Valentino Longo, Four Seasons Surfside | Miami

photo: Lizzie Munro
A Summer Sip

For this twist on the classic spritz, bartender Valentino Longo plays up the bergamot note in Italicus by leaning into his Florida surroundings. The bitter orange–like flavor is layered with a vermouth-fortified blood orange “sherbet” and grapefruit-spiked saline. A half-rim of salt mixed with dried blood orange peel adds the finishing citrusy touch.

Ingredients

Yield: 1

  • 1 1/4 ounces Italicus
  • 1 1/4 ounces Italicus
  • 3/4 ounce fortified blood orange sherbet (see Editor’s Note)
  • 3/4 ounce fortified blood orange sherbet (see Editor’s Note)
  • 3 dashes grapefruit saline (see Editor’s Note)
  • 3 dashes grapefruit saline (see Editor’s Note)
  • 2 ounces Valdobbiadene DOC Prosecco
  • 2 ounces Valdobbiadene DOC Prosecco

Garnish: blood orange salt (see Editor’s Note)

Directions
  1. Place blood orange salt on a small plate. Moisten half of the outer rim of a highball glass. Press moistened rim into the plate of salt. Shake off any excess.
  2. Stir all ingredients with ice.
  3. Strain into prepared highball glass with clear ice stick.
  4. Top up with Prosecco, and gently stir.
Editor's Note

Blood Orange Salt
Cut the peel of 1 blood orange into small pieces. Microwave until fully dried, about 1 minute. Mix with an equal amount, by volume, of sea salt. Place in blender, and blend into a powder.

Fortified Blood Orange “Sherbet” (makes approximately 1 liter)
Zest of 18 blood oranges
450 grams (2 cups) caster sugar
800 ml (3 1/3 cups) blood orange juice
100 ml (3 1/3 ounces) lemon juice
200 ml (about 7/8 cup) rosé vermouth

Muddle orange zest into sugar, releasing oils from the zest. When all the sugar turns yellow and the mass is sticky, put in a vacuum bag and seal and leave it overnight. The next day, add orange juice, lemon juice and vermouth. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let sit for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Fine-strain, then bottle. Keep refrigerated.

Grapefruit Saline
Stir together 50 grams (1 3/4 ounces) grapefruit juice and 10 grams (1 3/4 teaspoons) sea salt, until salt dissolves.

Tagged: italicus, spritz

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